My turn...critique my swing! (video)

#1: 3 Wood, about a 2 yard draw.



#2: 6 Iron, about a 5 yard draw.



#3: 6 Iron Face-On, again about a 5 yard draw.



Notes: My target line is the 125 yard marker, which is the center and nearest one in the bunch of 3 in the middle, and I basically hit my target line on each shot (that's why I picked these ones to upload!). The camera angle isn't very precise, sorry, and I also couldn't get my whole swing in the frame because of the wall behind me.

Please let me know what you think! Any feedback is appreciated.

your stance seems very closed. if youre aiming at that sign, then your feet should be on a line parallel to the line that extends to the target. many people aim their feet at the taget but they should be aimed a little left of it (for righties).

Id like you see you press your hands over the ball more instead of setting up behind it. It looks on the video that you scoop the ball some. A little press might also flatten out that takeaway.

Hard to see your swing plane with the camera so low. The only swing you can see is the one staright on. I would try setting the camera back a little farther so we can see the full swing not just the ball being hit. In the face on is your right elbow going out like a baseball swing. A.K.A Chicken wing? Its hard to tell but thats what it looks like. Need to see a camera angle from behind full swing.

colin- Yeah, I noticed that too. It surprised me because I keep an eye on my stance line by putting a club down touching my feet to see where it points kind of often, and I try to stay square. Maybe it looks more closed than it is because of the camera angle? I'm not sure. I was trying to hit draws that night, so maybe I closed my stance a little to help promote a draw.

Bike- I think you're exactly right that I need more forward press. I wish I had better than 30 fps to see my shaft angle at impact, but I think I do need more. One of my misses tends to be to hit the ball weakly high and short, and I think it's because my hands don't get far enough forward at impact.

noodles- Sorry about the camera angle, it is pretty bad. I couldn't resist the urge to post these videos now instead of going back out for better camera work (I'm just starting to really use video very recently). Anyway, now you have me wondering about that chicken wing arm, and I can't tell either! I might try to get to the range again tonight after work for a better camera angle.

Thanks for the feedback, guys! It really helps to hear some thoughts from other people rather than being stuck in my own head all the time.

Also, it seems like you pull the club inside quite a bit on the take away. Take a look at the face on video, there's not a lot of width there. That also probably forces you to re-route over the top a bit. You look like you get a pretty full shoulder turn but there's very little lower body rotation.

Thanks for the feedback. I do pull the club inside quite a bit, but I think I swing it back down on the same path. It's actually a change I recently made to take the club more inside, something I picked up from reading the Stack and Tilt book, and it feels good and my results are much better since I've made the change (much fewer unintentional fades). Same goes for the width; it's not something I am worrying about right now because I am trying to stay centered on the ball.

I think you're right about the hip turn. It looks like I have some, but I could probably use a bit more for a more full and powerful swing. I tend to swing pretty easy on the range compared to when I'm playing, so I'm thinking that maybe on a true full swing for me my hip turn will naturally be a little bit bigger, but I'm not sure. I have a feeling taking video is going to turn into an addiction for me, haha.

I know you probably "feel" like you bring it down the same path, but that feeling is probably not as accurate as you think. One of the great things to do with video is analyze it on the computer. I'd suggest getting the V1 Home version (basic is free), and drawing some lines on the swing. It's amazing what that will show you.

looks to me like you're doing what they call the ''push/pull'' swing. it's more of an abbreviated motion and there's less room for error. it's basically a ''one plane'' swing variation. however, it is rather effective and it seems like you make good compression and your trajectory and accuracy are really good. but if you'd rather maximize finesse and accuracy and don't mind sacrificing distance, i say don't change a thing. you make a good move toward the ball and all that matters is the moment of contact.

Thanks! You bring up a good point and something I have been thinking about lately: whether or not I want to try to add more power to my swing. I've been changing my swing around a little bit lately (mainly based on what I read in the Stack and Tilt book), and I haven't been focusing on power at all. I've just been trying to simplify my swing a little bit. Now that I'm getting comfortable with a good trajectory and pretty consistent results (also I just want to add that this somewhat Stack and Tilt method feels

great to me, and the game feels less complicated than ever), I am starting to think about power again. I used to hit a 9 iron around 150 yards with full power, and now it seems to be between 140 and 145. Not an enormous change, but a pretty big one. I think I am going to keep basically the same swing and maybe just increase my turn a little bit. Thanks again for the feedback!

You're right, thanks. I am planning to get some more precise camera angles, better lighting, etc. so that I can analyze my swing in more detail. And thanks for the tip about the software!

People get way to caught up in the way a person's swing looks. The only thing that matters is the clubhead squaring up at impact. when people get to caught up in otherthings they forget that all they really have to do is hit the ball. unless these people are pga class a certified then they should not be giving out to much advice. my coach has always told me to go with what is natural granted there are tweaks to be made but don't change your entire swing. As long as your hitting the ball straight what more can your honestly ask for.

Yeah I basically agree with you. When it comes down to it, ball don't lie, haha. But I do think it's helpful to get some feedback from other people once in a while. It doesn't mean I will listen to every single piece of advice given, but fresh sets of eyes can point out some things I hadn't thought of myself.

One last thing I see myself: I don't think I'm quite getting a full wrist hinge, so getting a full hinge might be another thing that will help with power, as well. Thanks to everyone for the feedback, and please keep the comments coming if you see anything else!

On the side view, it looked like you were playing the ball really far back. Overall pretty good though, maybe smooth out your tempo, seems a little herky-jerky.

Yeah, I think I do play the ball pretty far back; I'm working on that. It used to be further back than it is now. I think this goes hand in hand with me getting a little more forward press. Two things I'm definitely working on. As for the tempo, eh I don't know that's kind of the best I can do. Maybe with a little more time it'll smooth itself out. Thanks!

No comment on your swing as I'm not a person capable of providing that kind of information, but that does look like The Lakes of El Segundo...I love that place. Actually just got home from there.

Some comments:

1. Look at your legs in the last video. The right leg and arm are more vertical than the left, with your whole right side being nearly vertical at address. This probably means you have more weight on your back foot, instead of a neutral stance. The comments about ball back in your stance is from this setup. Move to a more neutral setup and the ball will move up in your stance automatically.
2. Look at your first move away from the ball. You actually raise up an inch or so instead of remaining level. May be the result of #1.
3. FYI... The 6-iron flight looked more like an 8-iron, probably some scooping going on there, but it's hard to tell.

Right now, you have a fairly up, down, up swing. Like someone said, you can play some respectable golf that way: accurate, average power, and a slight draw that will make a lot of people jealous. A bigger wrist cock is only going to lower accuracy (block rights or hook lefts) with little additional power. It just doesn't fit in with how you're currently swinging, which is a controlled, somewhat 3/4ish swing.

Rexx,

Some thougths for you: Your lower body is much to lateral on the backswing which is causing your arms to lift (very vertical) also, you don't establish any levers ( important power accumulators ) with your wrist during the backswing which leads you to club head throwaway prior to impact, which in turn results in direction and distance issues. Certainly very difficult to create correct imjpact alignments when this is happening. I would advise controlling your lateral move right on backswing and reduce the arm travel which will then require you to create more leverage with your wrist. Important to understand what causes what during your swing. Here is a an idea for you:

Haha you are correct sir! I've never actually played the course, though.

Thanks. Yeah, I agree that I should probably get my weight a little more forward. I think it goes hand in hand with me working on more forward press at impact, and like you said working on this will hopefully get the ball to move forward in my stance naturally.

I don't understand exactly what you mean. What do you mean by "my lower body is much too lateral on the backswing"? Too much lateral movement?

Also, is club head throw away another term for casting? What I take from your post is that you think I should reduce my lateral movement on the backswing, shorten the distance I move my arms on the backswing, increase my wrist hinge, and hinge my wrists earlier in the backswing. Is this accurate? I agree about the wrist hinge; I think that's a really good point. I just want to make sure I understand what you are saying correctly. Thanks.